Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric separation and identification of combustion products of organo-phosphorus and chlorine pesticides and evaluation of their impact on the environment

Synthesis of MIL-88(Fe) coordinated to carboxymethyl cellulose fibers nanocomposite for dispersive solid phase microextraction of acetanilide herbicides from cereal and agricultural soil samples

In this study, MIL-88(Fe) coordinated to carboxymethyl cellulose fibers was successfully synthesized, characterized, and utilized as a nanocomposite for the dispersive solid phase microextraction of butachlor and acetochlor. These analytes served as representative analytes for acetanilide herbicides (AHs) present in real samples. Effective parameters on the extraction efficiency were investigated to maximize the analytical performance of the developed method. Under optimized conditions, which encompassed sorbent amount of 12 mg, solution pH of 7.0, 4.0 min of the vortex time, 3.0 min of the extraction time, chloroform as desorption agent and no salt addition, the developed method exhibited remarkable figures of merit, such as high linearity (R2> 0.99), low limits of detection of 0.90 ng mL-1, substantial preconcentration factors (between 213 and 228), relative recoveries in the range of 90.8% to 109%, and good repeatability with relative standard deviations equal or below 7.2%. After validation, the developed method was applied to detect AHs in various cereal and agricultural soil samples.

Quantum Chemical Molecular Dynamics Simulations of 1,3-Dichloropropene Combustion

Oxidative decomposition of 1,3-dichloropropene was investigated using quantum chemical molecular dynamics (QM/MD) at 1500 and 3000 K. Thermal oxidation of 1,3-dichloropropene was initiated by (1) abstraction of allylic H/Cl by O2 and (2) intra-annular C-Cl bond scission and elimination of allylic Cl. A kinetic analysis shows that (2) is the more dominant initiation pathway, in agreement with QM/MD results. These QM/MD simulations reveal new routes to the formation of major products (H2O, CO, HCl, CO2), which are propagated primarily by the chloroperoxy (ClO2), OH, and 1,3-dichloropropene derived radicals. In particular, intra-annular C-C/C-H bond dissociation reactions of intermediate aldehydes/ketones are shown to play a dominant role in the formation of CO and CO2. Our simulations demonstrate that both combustion temperature and radical concentration can influence the product yield, however not the combustion mechanism.

Mechanism of thermal decomposition of a pesticide for safety concerns: case of Mancozeb

Thermal decomposition under both air and inert atmospheres of a commercial Mancozeb product was investigated through thermogravimetric analysis and laboratory scale thermal treatment from 20°C to 950°C, with analysis of gaseous and solid products. The aim of this study is the understanding of the thermal degradation mechanisms of a pesticide under different atmospheres and the chemical identification of the solid and gaseous pollutants which can be emitted during warehouse fires and which can constitute a threat for health and environment. Pyrolysis of Mancozeb takes place between 20°C and 950°C and lead essentially to CS(2) and H(2)S emissions with formation at 950°C of MnS and ZnS. Thermal oxidation of Mancozeb under air occurs between 150°C and 950°C with formation of CO, CO(2) and sulphur gases (CS(2) and SO(2)). The first step (155-226°C) is the loss of CS(2) and the formation of ethylene thiourea, ZnS and MnS. The metallic sulphides are oxidized in ZnO and MnSO(4) between 226°C and 650°C (steps 2 and 3). MnSO(4) is then oxidized in Mn(3)O(4) during the last step (step 4) between 650°C and 950°C. At 950°C, carbon recovery is close to 95%. Sulphur recovery is close to 98% with an equal partition between SO(2) and CS(2).

Thermal decomposition of captan and formation pathways of toxic air pollutants

This study investigates the thermal decomposition of a widely used fungicide, captan, under gas phase conditions, similar to those occurring in fires, cigarette burning, and combustion of biomass treated or contaminated with pesticides. The laboratory-scale apparatus consisted of a plug flow reactor equipped with sampling trains for gaseous, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and condensed products, with analysis performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. Under oxidative conditions, the thermal decomposition of captan generated gaseous pollutants including carbon disulfide, thiophosgene, phosgene, and hydrogen cyanide. The VOC analysis revealed the formation of tetrachloroethylene, hexachloroethane, and benzonitrile. Quantum chemical calculations indicated that captan decomposes unimolecularly, via fission of the C-S bond, with the ensuing radicals reacting with O(2). The results of the present study provide an improved understanding of the formation pathways of toxic air pollutants in the accidental or deliberate combustion of captan.

Determination of polar organophosphorus pesticides in water samples by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A method combining hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was developed for the determination of polar organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs; acephate, methamidophos, monocrotophos, omethoate, oxydemeton-methyl, and vamidothion) in water samples. To extract the polar OPPs and minimize matrix effects from the water sample, an activated carbon cartridge was used for pretreatment. After pretreatment of the water sample, the eluate from the activated carbon cartridge was directly injected into the HILIC/MS/MS system. The OPPs were separated on an Atlantis HILIC silica column by isocratic elution with a mixture of acetonitrile, isopropanol, and ammonium formate buffer as a mobile phase, and they were detected by positive electrospray ionization MS/MS in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The method was validated at 0.05, 0.5, and 5 microg/L levels in water samples, and the recoveries of polar OPPs were between 76.4 and 98.6%. The limits of detection were between 0.13 and 1.0 pg on-column, and the limits of quantification were between 0.43 and 3.4 pg on-column. The method can be applied to the determination of trace amounts of OPPs in environmental water samples.